Interrail Free 40,000 Tickets - Discover EU Applications Open.
- Ralph Quinlan Forde BSc Hons MA
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Are you 18 years old and resident of one of the EU Member States or third countries associated to Erasmus+? Get ready to explore Europe with a free Interrail Ticket!
The European Commission is set to give away 40,000 free Interrail passes normally worth over 800 Euros to Europeans who are 18 years of age.
Applications open 8th of April 2026.
If you are successful, you can travel for up to 7 days in a period of maximum one month in the authorised travel period of 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2027.
Out of all the European member states Italy, Germany, Poland have the highest applications. Tickets are distributed to member states via an application competition from the young Europeans.
There were 85,000 young Italians who applied and 5,000 qualified for a free Discover EU interail ticket. So there is high competition but its free to apply. You can also apply for yourself and three other friends.
Start of application period: 08/04/2026 12:00 (CEST)
DiscoverEU is an action of the Erasmus+ programme and it gives 18-year olds from all backgrounds the opportunity to travel across Europe by rail, learn from other cultures, build new friendships with fellow Europeans, and explore their European identity.
To be eligible, young people must be EU citizens or legal residents of the EU.
Those citizens or residents of one of the third countries associated to the Erasmus+ programme like Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Türkiye, are also eligible to apply. Organised for the first time in 2018, young people embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm.
Ireland Deserves More Discover EU Interrail Tickets
Ireland is allocated 456 tickets per year but seeing as Irish people paid over 40% of the solution to the Euro crisis of which it caused 6% of the problem, its youth should be allocated far more. The number of tickets should be increased to 7,000.
If you agree write to your local Irish MEP to say so. There are currently 14 in the European Parliament.
What is DiscoverEU?
DiscoverEU is an action of the Erasmus+ programme that offers you the opportunity to travel and explore Europe’s diversity, learn about its cultural heritage and history, and connect with people from all over the continent.
You will be offered a travel pass to move with the most environment friendly means of transport, like trains. Other transport modes will be permitted in specific cases, for people living on islands or in remote areas.
You will also receive a DiscoverEU discount card for a wealth of discounts on accommodation, culture, sports, local transport, or other services.
How does Discover EU work?
To be eligible, you need to:
be born between 1 July 2007 (included) and 30 June 2008 (included);
complete the identity card (ID), passport or residence permit number in the online application form;
be citizen or resident* of one of:
the Member States of the European Union including its outermost regions, or
the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) associated with the European Union, or
the third countries associated to the Erasmus+ programme: Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, and Türkiye.
agree to the declaration of the application form.
* For more information see the Rules section “2. Eligible applicants”
Then you will need to participate in a quiz (unless you apply as a group member).
If you are successful, you can travel for up to 7 days in a period of maximum one month in the authorised travel period of 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2027.
Can I travel with my friends?
Yes, you can! You can go solo or add up to 4 friends in your group provided they meet the eligibility conditions above. They will use your application code to submit their own application. Check out our FAQs B.5 to B.11 to know more.
You can also combine travel plans with other DiscoverEU travellers!
The DiscoverEU Facebook Group may be a good platform to do this if you consent to use this social media*. Join the Group now to chat with other participants.
Once you are selected, the Erasmus+ National Agencies will help you connect and learn, with the organisation of pre-departure meetings and travellers Meet-ups.
Pre-Departure & Post-Travel Information Meetings
The learning dimension of DiscoverEU is further enhanced through the Erasmus+ National Agencies, which hold pre-departure and post-travel information meetings as well as Meet-ups for all participants across Europe.
In addition, the National Agencies are responsible for the DiscoverEU Inclusion Action, an action which aims to reach young people with fewer opportunities by supporting specialised organisations in the field.
European Youth Card
DiscoverEU applicants also benefit from a free European Youth Card, giving them access to more than 23,000 discounts on accommodation, culture, transport, food and much more in over 30 countries.
Testimonials from Discover EU Ticket Winners.
“What I loved the most about my journey was all the people I met along. Sharing stories with other travellers in the common room of a hostel in Budapest, chatting till 3am with Erasmus+ students from the Canary Islands in a dorm in Vienna, and having local DiscoverEU travellers show us around Munich are truly some of my favourite memories ever.” Ana from Bulgaria travelled to Austria, Germany, The Netherlands and Hungary
“I was very surprised by the beauty of the trains and the care with which they are taken of, as well as of course the architecture and landscapes of all the cities visited. A pleasant surprise was the city of Antwerp, which I didn’t know at all and which turned out to be very charming. I learned that it is very important to speak foreign languages, especially English, to communicate with people around Europe and the world. I hope that this experience can be lived also by other new eighteen-year-olds because it is really fantastic!” Francesco from Italy travelled to Belgium, France, Germany and The Netherlands
Comments